A NEW LEADER: The Manteca City Council has picked the head of Stockton's Redevelopment Agency to be the city's new chief. Steve Pinkerton is expected to start June 16.

MANTECA — The city has plucked a new manager from its larger neighbor to the north.

The City Council voted unanimously to offer the city’s top job to Steve Pinkerton, the head of Stockton’s Redevelopment Agency, during a closed-session meeting Monday, May 5.

City Attorney John Brinton announced the decision after the council returned from closed session, adding that the council expects Pinkerton to take over by June 16 if the conditions of the offer are met.

The city has refused to provide details of the offer.

The previous city manager, Bob Adams, resigned in January. Since then the post has been filled by Assistant City Manager Karen McLaughlin, who also applied for the job.

Pinkerton, 48, has led Stockton’s Redevelopment Agency for the past 13 years, overseeing a series of high-profile projects in the city’s downtown, including construction of the Stockton Arena and Stockton Ballpark.

Before that, he worked with redevelopment agencies in Long Beach and Redondo Beach in southern California. He was born in Missouri.

Pinkerton said Tuesday he “absolutely” intended to take the job, but was waiting to work out a few final issues with the city.

“It’s a move-up into the head position … (and) I really felt like it was a city council that I could work with,” he said.

Because of Pinkerton’s experience with redevelopment agencies, some say the council’s decision is a signal that the city plans to lean more heavily on its own agency in the future.

Mayor Willie Weatherford said as much in an interview after the vote, arguing that the city’s redevelopment agency would become increasingly important as state money dries up due to the current budget crisis.

“Any further projects more than likely are going to be done with redevelopment,” Weatherford said, “because I’m sure the state is going to rob as much money as possible in the next two or three years.”

Redevelopment agencies collect property taxes that would normally go to the state, county, schools and the city’s general fund, and use the money for projects intended to boost property values and create affordable housing.

Councilmen Jack Snyder and John Harris, who made up the council’s selection committee, both pointed to Pinkerton’s redevelopment work as a big factor in their decision.

“He’s got an excellent background in redevelopment,” Harris said. “Just look at what he’s done for downtown Stockton.”

However, Pinkerton said he wasn’t planning any big projects in Manteca.

“I think my focus is overall management,” he said. “I’m most interested these days in government running as efficiently as possible.”

One of Pinkerton’s first tasks will be to select the city's new police and fire chief. Interim chiefs are leading both departments, and a consultant has already drawn up a short list of candidates for both jobs.